PETALING JAYA: Singapore distance runner Soh Rui Yong hopes to return to the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur next year to mark a full-circle moment a decade after his memorable appearance at the 2017 edition in Malaysia.
Rui Yong, who won gold in the marathon event nine years ago in Putrajaya, is looking forward to running the 10,000m event next year when the SEA Games returns to Malaysia.
“For me, a meaningful goal is to come back to the SEA Games in Malaysia next year because it would be 10 years after my last one here,” said the 34-year-old.
“One of my favourite memories of running was in Putrajaya. It had a better atmosphere compared to when I ran my first SEA Games in Singapore in 2015, where I won my first gold medal.”
Rui Yong was in town participating in several running clinics, including a buka puasa social run at the Perdana Botanical Gardens on Friday.
Despite his age catching up, Rui Yong remains motivated not only by competition but also by the desire to demonstrate longevity in sport.
“One of my goals is to really show that you can age actively and healthily. If I’m not training for a specific competition, I’ll still run at least 30 minutes a day.
“I think running gives me a lot of happiness, and for health reasons, I will keep running every day,” he said.
Balancing elite training with a busy professional and academic life has also become a defining feature for Rui Yong.
In addition to holding a law degree, he is completing a Master of Business Administration at London Business School while running his coaching business, the RunSohFast Academy, and creating online content.
“I’ve helped more than 100 clients achieve new personal bests from every distance. Obviously most of them are from Singapore but there’s a good amount of Malaysians and some from overseas as well.
“The good thing about things nowadays is if you’re entrepreneurial and willing to try something, and with the internet, anyone can own a business.
“Your cost of entry is just your effort,” he said.
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